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Exploring the forest

This is the Labour Day long weekend and it is very overcast and only 6C , forecast to soar to 13C this afternoon. Chilly! Rain in our forecast for the next four days. Labour Day in Canada is celebrated on the first Monday of September and it is a federal statutory holiday. It is also observed in the United States on the same day.

Yesterday, 3 September 2016, was a fungi day, quite rewarding and definitely fun. Our leader and friend, Karel, is very knowledgeable about fungi and yesterday he took 14 of us (plus Karel's two beautiful Beagles) on a foray to West Bragg Creek, maybe an hour's drive west of the city. We had been here a few times before over the years, either looking for fungi or on botany outings.

Photographing our findings usually means that I am way at the back of the group or have fallen back with a friend or two. Consequently, the mushrooms have often already been plucked/cut by the time we catch up to the rest of the participants. I also miss a lot of what is being said about IDs and details. It would take far too long to write down the name of each find - each photo taken would have to be carefully numbered so that the right name could be attached and this would be such a hassle when out with a group. I'm really hoping that Karel will eventually send out an email with photos and IDs. If not, or till then, my photos will have to be just nameless 'pretty pictures' : ) I can't remember who was holding this little cluster of 'shrooms for me.

I met up with friend, Sandy, at 8:15 am and she drove out to the meeting place. My drive from home was done with my windshield wipers on my new car working non-stop - was it raining? No, it had rained the day before - hail, too, on my gleaming new vehicle that I had only had for five days! I needed to clean the windshield, but, once again, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to turn the wipers off. Amazes me how complicated the wiper options are!

Our morning walk started off by going across the small bridge, then part way up the hill and then bush-whacking our way through the forest. This walk, which ended around lunch time, was the main one, but we did stop at a small, gravel parking area a few minutes along the main road, to do a second walk to check for any different mushrooms. This extra walk has yielded a few beauties in past years. Perhaps the most interesting find was a very small twig that had several tiny, turquoise coloured fungi cups on it. The colour looks so out of place in a natural area. My photos of them didn't turn out very well, but I will eventually post one of them.

From here, a few of us stopped at the Cinnamon Spoon cafe in Bragg Creek for lunch. Always a most enjoyable way to finish any outing. Before we climbed into the car for our return drive to Calgary, Sandy and I wandered into the beautiful Art Gallery, owned and run by Bob and Candy Cook. Named Branded Visuals Inc.(Printing Services/Wildlife Gallery), this small store is overflowing with Bob's absolutely amazing photographic works of art. Thanks so much, Bob and Candy, for remembering our chance meeting quite a few years ago, down in Fish Creek Park, and for your overly generous words about my own photography.

Thanks so much, Karel, for giving us a great morning! We really appreciate your passing on your knowledge to us. The same thanks go to Suzanne, the mushroom specialist in Calgary. Sandy, really appreciate the ride there and back!